Thank you for this contribution. Gene's analysis is also an "extra" on the Orgasmic Birth DVD. 

-- Henci 

I have come lately to this discussion, and only just found it as I browsed about, but I'm reminded of an article in the Boston Globe, published November 17 of 2008, by Judy Norsigian and Eugene Declercq, entitled "Troubling Data in Infant Deaths".  I quote at length because it is so cogent:  "A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documents a slight decline in the national infant mortality rate...in 2006, but the rate has essentially remained flat since 2000, leaving the US 29th among industrialized countries."    It goes on to reduce the parameters of comparison in five separate categories, shrinking the standards of reporting statistics in the interest of  "fairness" each time, and winds up exposing our glaring deficiencies more clearly.  For example, the authors compare the US only with other wealthy countries that have at least 100,000 births, or  look only at white non-hispanic mothers born in the US who began prenatal care in the first trimester.  The authors proceed:  "There are 16 such countries.  Among them, the United States ranks last in infant mortality, third to last in perinatal mortality (deaths in the first seven days and fetal deaths),  and last in maternal mortality.  Digging further into the data reveals two more troubling findings.  While the US infant mortality improved marginally --3 per cent since 2000, the 15 comparison countries, which already had much better rates, improved by 21 percent in the same period.  Put in concrete terms- if the US mortality rate merely equaled the current average rate of the other 15 industrialized countries, there would be more than 11,000 fewer infant deaths every year in the United States."   The article concludes that the dismal ranking of our country is "testimony to the US belief that more medical intervention regardless of cost, is better - even when the evidence  doesn't support such a claim...This is not just about who gets care, but about how they are cared for."  The article is illuminating and current in its response to President Obama's proposed health-care reforms, and really resonates with those of us who support best-evidence maternity care.  It's been said that maternal and infant mortality rates are the best indicators of sound  health care policy.  I  hope President Obama reads the Boston Globe.

Jackie Levine   

Thanks. I don't know as it has any relationship to hospital birth. But, in my search to see what I could come up with, I found the CDC report on perinatal mortality in 2003 that Tuteur alluded to. I'll repeat this on the other thread, but there is nothing about care providers.

-- Henci

Are you sure I wrote that? Mostly, I haven't been able to find a good source of international comparative perinatal or neonatal mortality rates, and I don't usually make statements that I cannot source. I agree that perusing these tables, U.S. rates in the year 2000 were in the ballpark with other developed countries.

-- Henci